Let's K12 Better

My youngest child would binge watch Power Rangers as a toddler (some days she still does this). It didn’t matter if it was the original series or Mystic Force, she was studying “how to fight evil” through watching this show. Then when her sisters came home she would try to practice the moves on them with some success. I think it's her calling, and most of us around the house have given in to this notion that she will be a real life superhero when she grows up. Some in our house, those less imaginative types, love to crush her dreams with the harsh reality of well... Reality.

For the most part I left it alone and let it be something that siblings work on together. But it had gotten to the point that she began to doubt her “super hero” potential. That’s when I had to step in. I don’t believe in fostering a delusional state of being, but I do also believe that the possibilities are endless and no one’s dreams deserve to be crushed...​

This is a muddled account of what happened as best I can remember it:

Middle Sister: That's not realLittle Sister: Yes it is.Me: Anyone's job that helps make the day better for someone else is, in essence, a Power Ranger. Teachers, doctors, engineers, computer scientists, nurses, astronauts, firemen and women, military personnel... these people are Power Rangers.Middle Sister: But they don't wear the suit!Me: Well no but they do have a uniform. They do save the day for someone. Think of the guy who works for the metro subway. When he fixes the tracks he saves the day for someone [so they get to work]Middle Sister: What about his sword?Me: His tools are like a sword. His mind is his sword, as he troubleshoots the problems to get a city full of people to work. Think about it. So if your sister says I want to be a Power Ranger when I grow up, I say ‘hell yeh’. Because she wants to help people and make life better for someone on earth. We should all try to be Power Rangers...​

I've been contemplating my mid-thirties a lot recently. Like, what am I doing with my life?! There’s so much I’ve yet to accomplish and as I look at my daily responsibilities, it seems like those dreams keep slipping further into the oblivion. And I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels this way about their life, or their job, or their circumstances.

It’s important that we keep it all in perspective. Life is not about us as an individual. It’s about us as an individual contributing to the whole of humanity. So if you’re still searching for your own destiny, here’s something I learned from watching my daughter’s quest to become a Power Range…​When choosing your path, choose:

Something that highlights your talents but also pushes you to be better

Something you like, enjoy or can tolerate 70% of the time

Something that feeds you and your family to the level you find appropriate

Something that improves life/existence for other beings (plants, people, animals)

Thankful that my children push me to think about life and what it all means. Being a Power Ranger is probably a literal experience my child wants to grow up and become, and that is good for now. But the spirit of helping others and fighting for what’s right, that is what I hope stays with her forever.